Digging Holes and Moving Dirt

Wow. It's amazing how correlated beautiful spring weather and the level of outdoor activity are in our family. This weekend was no exception. Friday was Matt's flex day, so we started in with digging holes and moving dirt. My goal was to re-locate a redbud tree, put up a fence around our garden area, and buy a patio set. Matt focused on grading the area next to our patio for flower pots, mowing the lawn, and edging the center landscaped area around our maple tree. At the end of two days we saw much of this accomplished.

I ended up buying a tree to plant in my huge hole after realizing we'd more than likely kill the existing redbud if we tried to dig it out. Digging the hole was hard, but fun too. One, because Evalyn delighted so much in it, even though it took a lot more work shoveling dirt AROUND her. Also, once I got down deep enough I enjoyed the lovely scent of sassafras from the roots of a nearby tree. Whenever I chopped through one of these pencil thin (or smaller) roots, I'd pull it out and smell it's sweet pungency. Delightful.

When I came across a worm or two, I gave them to Evalyn. I felt a little bad knowing the poor thing would get ill treatment from her curious hands. But teaching her to take care of something as simple as a worm is important, too, right? This time she discovered giving her worm a bath. Hard to say which it preferred, excessive water or lack of soil. Poor wormie. Like I said, I only gave her one or two. The others stayed safely hidden in the dirt.

The garden fence still isn't up, but if the pleasant weather holds for a few days, it will be! I hesitated a bit because the location I want for my garden isn't where my existing garden beds are. We (rather my dad on the backhoe) moved a lot of scrubby trees and debris around last spring. So the perfect sunniest spot is now available to turn into a garden, but I'm pouting because it will take a lot of work to get it ready when I've already put a good bit of labor into the existing 2-3 beds that aren't in the perfect spot.

It's just my silly nature to put off doing a project (whether it be planting a garden, finishing a scrapbook, sewing a pattern) until I have all the components perfectly gathered and ready to go. I want to have the best outcome so figure that chances are greatest if the parts going into it are top notch. Sure, seeds will probably grow in ground that hasn't had much done to it besides turning it with a garden fork, even if it's not in the sunniest spot in my yard. BUT not as well as dirt that's been amended with a truckload of topsoil from a nearby nursery and is in full sun. Do I want to spend hours cultivating a garden if there is something that will give me greater chances of success by doing a bit more work, even if that work might delay the actual planting?? Enough of my silliness. I'll have my beds fenced in by Wednesday, I'm sure, and I'll push away the nagging sunnier spot until next spring... really, I will.....